The present invention relates to lighters which resist undesired operation by unintended users.
Lighters have been developed to resist undesired operation by unintended users. Some efforts have included hindering the unintended user""ability to produce sparks or otherwise ignite lighter fuel. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,483,978; 5,520,197; and 5,769,098 disclose lighters with a resiliently deformable guard that covers a striking wheel assembly. To operate such lighters, a user may exert sufficient pressure to depress the guard before rotating the striking wheel assembly. The pulp of a user""finger also may wrap around the guard to rotate the strike wheel assembly.
Other lighters that rely on hindering an unintended user""ability to produce sparks include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,096,414 and 5,547,370 and PCT Publication No. WO 98/04869. These references disclose lighters with which the pulp of the thumb of the intended user, such as an adult, can be used to rotate the striker wheel located between two plates that are freely rotatable with respect to the striker wheel.
Other teachings are directed to preventing the release of fuel from the lighter. Examples of these teachings include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,165,886; 5,125,829; 5,090,893; 5,002,482; and PCT Publication No. WO 93/17282.
The invention is directed to a spark generating device or a lighter using a spark generating device for igniting fuel, which is preferably configured for use in disposable cigarette lighters and which more preferably resists inadvertent operation or makes undesired operation by unintended users more difficult.
In one embodiment, the spark generating device generally includes a sparker, which is preferably non-piezoelectric and preferably includes a striker drum. The sparker or striker drum may contact a flint to generate sparks, which when configured in a lighter ignites released fuel.
The spark generating device may include a manipulable member which has an exposed portion which is arranged for manipulation and movement by a user. The manipulable member is configured to have at least two associations with the sparker; a first disengaged association in which the manipulable member is independently movable, and preferably freely rotatable, with respect to the sparker, and a second operable association in which the manipulable member moves, and preferably rotates, the sparker to generate sparks.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a clutch releasably connects the manipulable member to the sparker between the first disengaged condition and the second engaged condition. In the preferred clutch, the manipulable member includes a first clutch portion and the sparker includes a second clutch portion. The first and second clutch portions move between a first position where they are disengaged and move independently of one another, and a second position w here they are frictionally connected so they move together. The first and second clutch portions preferably have engageable surfaces configured for engaging with each other in the engaged, operable condition to transfer motion.
The manipulable member remains in a disengaged first condition unless at least a sufficient coupling force is applied to the manipulable member to place the clutch in the engaged condition. The coupling force which is sufficient to place the clutch in the engaged condition preferably is difficult for unintended users to apply in order to provide increased resistance to operation by such users.
In a preferred embodiment, the manipulable member comprises two wheels, and a striker drum is arranged between the two wheels on a common axis. The manipulable member may be arranged and configured to have a greater height than the sparker, and preferably the striker drum.
The spark generating device also preferably includes a cover or guard member configured to substantially prevent contact of the sparker, and preferably the striker drum, by the user during actuation of the sparker. The cover or guard member is preferably disposed adjacent the sparker. The cover or guard member may be positioned radially outward of, even with, or inward of the manipulable member. The cover or guard member may be disposed radially outward of the manipulable member in a manner to inhibit manipulation of the manipulable member as an alternative or further method of providing increased resistance to unintended operation. The guard may be resiliently deformable, preferably so when configured to be disposed outward of the manipulable member, so that application of a predetermined inward force on the guard may move the guard to a position to permit manipulation of the manipulable member. The force required to move or deform the guard to permit manipulation of the manipulable member may be configured to provide increased difficulty of operation to resist undesired operation by unintended users. The guard may further be substantially rigid, and may be configured to be positioned radially outward of, even with, or inward of the manipulable member. Where the guard is rigid it may further be configured to make manipulation of the manipulable member more difficult in order to resist undesired operation of the lighter by unintended users.
The manipulable member is preferably disposed adjacent, and preferably above, the finger actuatable portion of the valve actuator to permit operation of both the manipulable member and the finger actuatable portion of the valve actuator by moving a finger along a path or paths that is generally in contact with the lighter. The cover or guard member may be configured and disposed to cover the sparker generally along the path or paths in order to substantially decrease manipulation of the sparker upon movement of the finger along this path.